Cruise travelers planning a magical European getaway with Disney Cruise Line this summer need to be prepared to meet the latest COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The cruise line has released updated guidelines for their cruises arriving or departing from European ports from May 21 though October 18.
Vaccination Protocols Updated for European Cruises
Disney Cruise Line has provided updated details on its COVID-19 protocols for this summer’s sailings of Disney Magic in Europe, both on their website and in emails to booked guests. All guidelines are based on recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO), and all guidelines apply for departures from any European embarkation port.
All vaccine-eligible guests – ages 5 and older – are required to be fully vaccinated before embarkation. Disney Cruise Line accepts the Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (VeroCell), Sinovac-CoronaVac, and Covavaxin (Bharat Biotech) vaccine types.
To be fully vaccinated, guests must complete their full vaccination protocol, which varies based on the type of vaccine, at least 14 days prior to embarkation.
Booster shots are not necessary to be considered fully vaccinated by Disney Cruise Line, but may be required by some ports of call.
Pre-Cruise Testing
In addition to full vaccination, all guests are required to take a COVID-19 test at the terminal before boarding. These embarkation day tests will be paid for by Disney Cruise Line and administered by Prenetics. Embarkation day testing is required of all guests, including travelers 4 years old and younger.
If a guest tests positive, a second test will be administered to confirm the reading. Guests with confirmed positive COVID-19 test results, along with their traveling companions and close contacts, will not be permitted to board, and will receive a full refund of their cruise fare without any cancelation penalties.
Young Disney cruisers who are not age-eligible for vaccination – travelers 4 years old and younger – must also take a COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), rapid PCR test, or lab-based PCR test between 24 and 72 hours prior to embarkation.
This test is in addition to the embarkation day testing, and guests must pay for the cost of the earlier test. Travelers should note that rapid antigen tests will not be accepted for this earlier test.
Submitting Vaccination and Testing Paperwork
Before sailing, guests must submit either their vaccination documentation or the proof of negative COVID-19 test results to the Project Screen by Prenetics website.
This must be done before arriving at the cruise terminal, and will help facilitate smooth embarkation. Guests can register on the Prenetics website as soon as 14 days before sailing.
Recent Recoveries
Guests who have recently recovered from COVID-19 but who may still show positive test results can submit documentation of their recovery in lieu of the pre-cruise testing requirements. The required documentation includes:
- Previous positive antigen, NAAT, rapid PCR or lab-based PCR test result which is greater than 11 days and less than 90 days from the expected sail date
- A signed letter, on official letterhead with the name, address, and phone number of a licensed healthcare provider or public health official, stating recovery from COVID-19 in the last 90 days and clearance for travel
- Proof of vaccination with the approved vaccine types
All documentation must be brought to the cruise terminal for verification before guests will be permitted to sail.
Additional Requirements Possible
As different countries reevaluate and adjust their COVID-19 protocols, guests should look up the current protocols for the ports they will visit before setting sail to be sure they meet entry requirements.
The requirements may differ from Disney Cruise Line’s official guidelines, and all guidelines can change with little or no notice.
With the announcement of the updated protocols, Disney Cruse Line is permitting guests booked on European sailings from May 21, 2022 through September 18, 2022 to modify their sail date or cancel their sailing without any Disney-imposed cancellation fees, if the change is made no later than May 4, 2022.
Visiting Europe With Disney Cruise Line
The first ever cruise ship for the line, the Magic-class Disney Magic is the only Disney ship to be offering European itineraries for summer 2022.
She is offering a wide range of itineraries from various embarkation ports, exploring throughout the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Northern Europe, the Norwegian Fjords, and the British Isles.
